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Esmeralda watched the crowd from the balcony. The nameless people went along all directions, minding their business, ignorant that there was a world of darkness beyond them. They live, love and die, all without paying attention to the sphere beyond them.
And Esmeralda would do her best to keep them this way, to let them live on all life, safe and protected, without knowing the horrible truth beyond this world, to face the creatures of night that frequented her dream.
Esmeralda was a hunter.
Not long ago she smiled, danced and played under the sun like any of her people, but when she faced the evil archbishop and looked into his eyes, she saw the darkness beyond human reach. From that moment she survived, she swore that she would use her life to defend people from this kind of darkness.
She knew that she needed knowledge. Stories passed from generation of her people were useful, but she needed more.
That was when she met Belle.
There was something Belle and her in common that she immediately. That they both faced the evil in front of them , and survived. That they have looked into the abyss, and never looked back. Belle may be quiet, but she was one of the strongest and smartest person she knew, and fun too. Th way her eyes shone because of a new book was adorable.
They became partners. With Belle's intelligence and occult knowledge, Esmeralda laid many to her weapon. She would trust no one better than Belle on her back. She never understood what romantic love meant, and still didn't now, but Belle was the most important person to her.
That was why she trusted Belle to do this, to conduct the ritual to make her better, stronger..
"Are you sure?" Belle asked, with concern deep in her voice.
Esmeralda smiled to reassure her. "Yes."
"You may have better find another person. Not that I'm bad, but......."
"I trust you on my back most."
"Wel, it's kind of different fighting a vampire than installing a taloned hand."
"Belle, we've gone over this numerous time. It would be all right."
Belle bit her lips, then she started to draw complicated pattern needed for the ritual on Esmeralda. Esmeralda’s skin tinged with excitement.
“Sleep,” Belle said, casting a spell on her. Esmeralda did.
Even in the place between sleeping and awake, Esmeralda could feel her body stretching, changing and resisting the new and unfamiliar thing. It was a bit painful, but also … exciting? She felt the rush of adrenaline before a good fight, to have her body torn open to show every bit of weakness, to modify, to be shaped according to Belle and her will.... It was intoxicating. The pain mixed only make the sensation stronger, and the pleasure of turning......
Her bone and blood vessels are exploded to the air, and the way they were touched by the air, to be connected with something better, stronger. To make Esmeralda into a better hunter, of course, but also make it more physical. The way the body can be moulded, she felt a fire inside her body, and she didn’t even do anything. Just patiently submit, submit......
When she woke up again, she was delighted to see the claws grafted on her hand. It would be handy to tear through the creatures of the night. And she felt the unexpected weight of it, the way that it stretched its muscle. Her muscles, tendons, she never felt them so real.
“Are you all right? Let's try with your new hand now.” Belle said.
Esmeralda stretched out her claw, and replied, “Never so all right.”
Belle sighed in relief, and Esmeralda thought of another implant she would have the next time.